Roadpetition brings victory

Crossing refuges to return

PEOPLE power won the day as county road bosses agreed to reinstate crentral crossing refuges on a busy town centre street.

Hundreds of shoppers signed a petition that went beore highways bosses at Leicester County Council who agreed with campaigners concerns.

Worried shoppers felt they were taking their lives in their hands crossing the T-junction at The Hollow and Station Road in Earl Shilton.

Lead protestor Helen Cobley said many were worried someone could be injured or even killed, as despite being light controlled, the wide roads at the intersection prove problematic to navigate.

The matter is made worse with vehicles exiting private car parks onto The Hollow while the green man crossing sign is on as they are unable to see the lights.

The refuges were removed last year as part of highway alterations.

Helen said: “Many residents, especially the elderly and disabled, are now too frightened to cross the road in these areas.”

The protest document with 500 names was handed into Leicestershire County Council at the most recent meeting of the highways forum for Hinckley and Bosworth.

However, thanks to the issue being raised by borough and county councillor Janice Richards, a site visit and assessments had already been carried out.

It meant as well as informing forum members about serious local concern, officers were also able to advise on action.

The meeting was told: “While the junction is technically signalled correctly we do appreciate the concerns of residents.

“In light of this we propose to reinstate two pedestrian islands at the junction.

“One will be on the Nationwide Building Society side of the junction and one on Station Road.

“Without removing the newly installed parking bays we do not feel that we can reinstate the one outside the Earl Shilton Building Society.

“It must be noted we will not be installing bleepers at the junction.

“These would stop sounding before the pedestrians completed crossing the road while we understand the more elderly pedestrians will stop at the island as this is what they want to do we would prefer that pedestrians complete the crossing in one movement as designed.

“The pedestrian stage is what is called an all round ped which means that all traffic is stopped when the green man is showing.”

The work could be completed this month and the cost of the project, some £16,000 will come from the Hinckley Area Project funding which aims to improve roads, paths and cycleways to make it easier for people to walk, use a bike or take public transport instead of driving.